This blog chronicles my travels as a 2016-2017 Thomas J. Watson Fellow exploring cultural attitudes towards health technology around the world. Starting from and returning to New York City, USA, I am traveling to Sweden, Qatar, India, Singapore, Japan, and Botswana over the course of one year.

About

Hi, I’m Mercer Borris, Swarthmore College ’16. In July 2016, I will embark on a year abroad to Sweden, India, Japan, Qatar, and Botswana. During my Watson Year, I want to explore what makes a country “healthy,” and how this relates to the use and acceptance of medical technology, from mobile health solutions to advanced robotics. I’m interested in the contrast between urban and rural areas and between different generations. Is there a correlation between availability of technology and quality of healthcare? If so, I think cultural attitudes towards both health and technology must play a role. As a future engineer, I want to know the anthropological aspect of medical devices, not simply the technical details.